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Strange to think that until the formation of The Dublin Guitar Quartet there had never been a guitar ensemble that specialised in contemporary classical music. Not deterred by the scarcity of repertoire the DGQ set about creating their own collection of work by focusing on transcriptions and new commissions. Their performances now boast a dynamic mix of celebrated masterpieces by the likes of Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Arvo Pärt and Bryce Dessner alongside new commissions by composers such as Nico Muhly, Michael Gordon and Marc Mellits. On releasing a recording by the DGQ on his own label, Philip Glass recognised the novel nature of the group and noted that the DGQ has “carved a place for itself in the world of classical music.” They continue to break new ground by also performing as an electric guitar quartet. The US premiere of 'Amplified' by Michael Gordon at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2016 is a good example of that.